Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

St Catherine's Hill – Winchester Cathedral loop from Shawford

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

St Catherine's Hill – Winchester Cathedral loop from Shawford

Hard

4.8

(11)

hikers

St Catherine's Hill – Winchester Cathedral loop from Shawford

05:52

22.7km

120m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 25, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

South Downs National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

4.55 km

Allbrook Lock

Highlight • Structure

Part of the now-defunct Itchen Navigation canal, this is a majestic lock just north of Eastleigh. Allbrook lock is one of only two brick-constructed locks on the Navigation and so remains in excellent condition. Water flows down its stair-like structure, making a sort of artificial waterfall.

Tip by

8.95 km

Ruins

12.3 km

Compton Lock — wild swimming spot

Highlight • Natural Monument

Bring your toqel and swimsuit

Tip by

12.6 km

Hockley Meadows Nature Reserve

Nature Reserve

14.3 km

St Catherine's Hill

Highlight • Viewpoint

The pathway up is unclear from this point. Note however that there is an easy to follow route up with mostly steps on the south west side of the hill

Tip by

15.9 km

Wharf Bridge

Highlight • Trail

Very old bridge giving access to the Itchen Trail

Tip by

16.4 km

Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace)

Highlight • Historical Site

The medieval bishops of Winchester were powerful men and Wolvesey Castle was one of the most important buildings in England at the time. Whilst the castle might be in ruins these days, it still has a sense of the grandiose about it. Also known as ‘Old Bishops Castle’, the site is managed by English Heritage and is free to enter between 10am-5pm, daily, from April until October. For more information, visit: english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/wolvesey-castle-old-bishops-palace.

Tip by

16.8 km

Priory Gate, Winchester

Highlight • Monument

Very old door giving access to the cathedral grounds

Tip by

17.2 km

Winchester Cathedral

Highlight • Monument

Winchester Cathedral is the longest medieval cathedral in Europe and has a history stretching back more than 1,000 years. Inside, you find 12th-century wall paintings, medieval carvings, contemporary art, and internal architecture as impressive as the exterior. The cathedral is Grade I-listed.

Tip by

19.5 km

View of the Hospital of St Cross

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Hospital of St Cross is said to be England's oldest charitable institution. It was founded by Henry of Blois between 1132 and 1136 after he was appointed Bishop of Winchester at the age of 28. It was created in order to house and support 13 poor men, known as Brothers, and to feed a further 100 men at its gates each day, with food and drink from the hospital's own land, mills and farms. In 1445 another Order of Brothers was created by Cardinal Henry Beaufort, the Order of Noble Poverty. Today the Hospital is home to 25 'Brothers'.

Built with stone from as far afield as Caen, the church consists of stunning honey coloured Norman stonework both inside and out. On a column on the north aisle is carved the cross of St Cross. In the window nearest to the eastern side of the north transept, the stone surround is strangely angled. This device means that sunlight from the window falls on the cross only on 3rd May (the day in the church calendar of the Invention of the Cross) and 14th September (Holy Cross Day).

nationalchurchestrust.org/church/hospital-st-cross-winchester

Tip by

22.7 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

8.37 km

7.81 km

3.02 km

1.81 km

1.70 km

Surfaces

7.86 km

5.67 km

5.32 km

2.02 km

938 m

922 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (70 m)

Lowest point (20 m)

Weather

Tuesday 7 July

33°C

15°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

Want to know more?

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Report restricted access

Nearby routes

Moderate

4.8

631

Whitefield Moor loop — New Forest National Park

03:26h

13.2km

80m

Moderate

4.7

776

Brockenhurst Village — New Forest National Park

02:11h

8.62km

20m

Easy

4.8

715

Brockenhurst Station Off Road Cycle Trail

01:52h

7.31km

20m

Easy

4.6

869

Solent Way: Beaulieu to Buckler's Hard

01:48h

7.02km

30m

Moderate

4.6

451

Lyndhurst Hill & Acres Down loop — New Forest National Park

02:39h

9.86km

120m

Moderate

4.7

481

Brockenhurst and Tall Trees Trail

03:38h

14.0km

80m

Moderate

4.6

446

Exbury & Lepe Country Park loop

02:22h

9.25km

30m

Moderate

4.9

468

River Itchen loop from Saint Giles Hill Winchester — South Downs National Park

01:44h

6.59km

50m

Moderate

4.6

330

Brockenhurst to Lyndhurst loop

04:17h

16.4km

120m

Easy

4.8

505

Bolderwood Trails: Radnor Trail — New Forest National Park

00:49h

2.97km

50m

Moderate

4.7

195

Old Winchester Hill loop from East Meon — South Downs National Park

03:55h

14.2km

240m

Moderate

4.5

128

Blackwater Arboretum loop — New Forest National Park

01:27h

5.61km

30m

St Catherine's Hill – Winchester Cathedral loop from Shawford

Allbrook Lock

Compton Lock — wild swimming spot

St Catherine's Hill

Wharf Bridge

Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace)

Priory Gate, Winchester

Winchester Cathedral

View of the Hospital of St Cross

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️